Electric fence



5. G. K LUMB ELECTRIC FENCE Dec. 31, 1946.

Filed May 4, 1936 mmvroe ifdn/py -[f/L/mb er 4229 0k ATTORNEY Patented Dec; 31, 1946 UNlTED STATES PATENT fl QFFICEL anasos Y Stanley G. Klu iib, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application May l, 1936, Serial No. 77,830

Glaims. (Cl. 256-) This invention relates to improvements in electrically charged fences commonly referred to as electric fences.

Heretofore, many schemes have been employed forelectrically charging or energizing a fence wire to prevent animals from breaking through, but in the majority of these past schemes either safety or effectiveness was sacrificed.

It is therefore an object of thisinvention to provide an improved manner of electrically charging Or energizing a fence wire by which both effectiveness and safety are assured.

Another object ofl this invention is to provide means for electrically charging or energizing a fence wire whereby an animal contacting the same receives but a'single sudden shock of sur'liclent force to be effective, and of such short duration as to b perfectly harmless.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for electrically charging or energizing a fence wire which is so designed that a charge of substantial proportions is built up substantially instantaneously after the grounding of the fence is interrupted so that the fence is capable of delivering successive shocks as often and as rapidly 2 trically insulated therefrom. The wire is electrically charged or energized from an energizing unit, indicated generally by the numeral 7, and preferably all contained within a cabinet, indicated by the dotted line 8, which is located so as to be conveniently accessible and in view.

The charging unit l comprises a step-up transformer 9 having a primary IE9 connectible with any conventional A. C. lighting circuit, preferably 110 volts, and a secondary comprising two windings It and H2. The secondary winding ll provides high voltage and has one end grounded and its other end connected to the plate l3 of a thermionic rectifier tube M. winding l2 supplies low voltage for heating the cathode or filament E5 of the tube.

The rectifier output is used to charge a condenser i8 which'thus provides a source of electric energy capable of delivering a sudden and effective shock, For charging the condenser one side thereof is connected with the grounded end of the transformer secondary H, and the other side thereof is connected with the cathode or filas the fence is grounded by an animal contacting the same. 1

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved manner of electrically charging 'or energizing a fence wire whereby the shock delivered at any portion of the wire is eiIective regardless of the length of the wire.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction; combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates two complete examples of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best modes so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic illustration of one application of this invention; and

. Figure 2 is a view. similar to Figure 1, showing a slightly modified embodiment of the invention.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 5 designates afence wire of any suitable type carried by posts 6, or other ament l5. This places the condenser in the plate circuit of the tube.

The side of the condenser connected with the cathode or filament is also connected with the fence wire 5 so that the condenser and the fence wire are part of an open fence circuit adapted to be completed through the body of an animal contacting the fence wire and ground; the ground providing a return conductor for the open fence circuit.

Inasmuch as the fence wire is connected with the ungrounded side of the condenser, it will be in the plate circuit of the rectifier tube during a grounded condition of the fence. To protect animals and humans who might contact the fence and for one reason or another are unable to disengage themselves after receiving the sudden shock produced by the condenser discharge, the current which flows in the plate circuit and onto the fencewire during agrounded condition thereof, is reduced to a harmless trickle by a suitable current limiting device as for instance a resistor l6.

"impressed upon the plate l3 of the rectifier tube may be five hundred volts and the filament voltage may be five volts. A resistance of fifty thousand ohms and a condenser of two mfds'. will suitable supports, in such a manner as to be eleccharge or energize the fence wire so as to pro- The secondary acialeoe charges and if the ground connection is maintained, the current on the wire drops to approximately five milliamperes because ofthe high resistance of the element it. This slight current flow is obviously harmless.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1, the condenser l8 forms part of the charging unit and is contained within the cabinet 8. Where the fence wire is exceptionally long, it is preferable to connect the condenser as shown in Figure 2, to the fence at a point remote from the charging unit so as to insure the full charge being delivered over the entire length of the wire. In all other respects, the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 2 is the same as that shown in Figure 1.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art;

that this invention provides a harmless but efiective manner of electrically charging or energizing a fence wire.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An electric fence, comprising the combina I tion with an electrically conducting fence wire insulated from a return conductor to form an open fence circuit: of a condenser operatively connected with the fence wire and return conductor for effecting energization of the fence wire by discharge of the condenser whenever an animal comes in contact with the fence wire and return conductor so thatthe animal receives a highly effective shock of relatively short duration as a result of the condenser discharge; a source of uni-directional pulsating E. M. F. connected with the condenser for charging the condenser to a high value; and means for preventing an effective charge from being impressed upon the fence wire after discharge of the condenser so that the next effective charge on the .fence wire occurs only after recharging of the condenser to said high value.

' 2. An electric fence, comprising the combination with an electrically conducting fence wire insulated from a return conductor to form an open fence circuit: of a condenser operatively connected with the fence wire and return conductor for effecting energization of the fence wire by discharge of the condenser whenever an animal comes in contact with the fence wire and return conductor so that the animal receives a momentary highly effective shock as a result of the condenserdischarge; a source of uni-directional pulsating E. M. F. connected with the fence insulated from a return conductor to form an open fence circuit: of a condenser; means for charging the condenser to a high value including a transformer, a rectifier connected with the secondary of the transformer, and means connecting the output of the rectifier with the condenser so that the condenser becomes charged to a high value; means connecting the condenser with the fence wire and the return conductor so that the condenser discharges onto the fence wire in consequence to an animal coming in contact with the fence wire and return conductor and whereby the animal receives a mowire and with the condenser for charging the so that the next effective charge on the fence wire occurs only after recharging of the condenser to said high value. 3. An electric fence, comprising the combination with an electrically conducting fence wire mentary highly effective shock as a result of the condenser discharge; and means connected with the fence wire for preventing an effective charge from being impressed upon the fence-wire after discharge of the condenser so that the next effective charge on the fence wire occurs only after recharging of the condenser to said high value.

4. An electric fence, comprising the combination with an electrically conducting fence wire insulated from a return conductor to form an open fence circuit: of a source of uni-directional pulsating E. M. F.; a condenser electrically con-,

nected with said source to be charged to a high value thereby and-adapted to discharge substantially instantaneously onto the fence wire whenever an animal comes in contact with the fence wire and return conductor to give the animal a highly efiective shock of relatively short duration as a result of the condenser discharge; and means for electrically connecting. said source of E. M. F. and the condenser with the fence wire including a, relatively high value resistance connected between the fence wire and'said source of E. M. F. for preventing an eifective electrical charge from being impressed on the fence wire after discharge of the condenser so that the next effective charge on the fence wire occurs only after recharging of the condenser to said high value.

5. An electric fence, comprising the combination with an electrically conducting fence wire insulated from a return conductor to form an open fence circuit: of a source of uni-directional condenser with\ the fence wire and the return.

conductor so that the condensersubstantially instantaneously discharges onto the fence wire whenever the fence wire and said return conductor are contacted by an animal to give the animala momentary highly effective shock as a result of the condenser discharge; and a relatively high resistance connected in said condenser charging circuit between the 'fence wire and said source of E. M. F. for limiting current flow onto the fence wire from said source after discharge of the condenser to an ineffective and relatively insignificant value entirely harmless-to an animal remaining in contact with the fence wire and return conductor.

* S'Ii' G. mum. 

